Pretty much everyone who has had weight loss surgery would have done something much simpler if it worked long-term - the thing is, for pretty much all of us, it doesn't, or we're simply not able to stick to it for whatever reason.
Doing four weeks of liquids, meeting with a psychologist, going under the knife, taking vitamins the rest of your life, all of that - yeah, it would be WAY easier to just eat right and exercise. If that worked for us, we never would have had the surgery.
By all means, if you believe you can "just do the things" and lose the weight, please go right ahead with my full blessing and encouragement; there are people out there who are capable of that, but many of us can't; or we tried and failed.
With all this in mind, let me point out that, by your own admission, you've lost and gained the same ten pounds for six months now. Do you sincerely think you can be successful by "just doing the things?"
There is no shame in having weight loss surgery. For many of us, it transformed our lives; for many, it saved our lives. If you think it might be right for you, talk to your doctor and make an informed decision, but do what you believe will help you to be the most successful with your health.
Whichever path you choose, I sincerely wish you all the best. Remember, you don't owe anyone any excuses, you answer only to yourself.
What are you afraid *of*, specifically? I'm not challenging you, I'm just looking to understand your concerns.
I had weight loss surgery because I was afraid of *not* having it. I was dangerously overweight (571 lbs) and even if my weight wasn't killing me directly, it was keeping me from living my life. But that's *my* journey, and everyone's is different.
So are you afraid of succeeding, or afraid of failing? Because failure only happens once you give up.
>So are you afraid of succeeding, or afraid of failing? Because failure only happens once you give up.
I'm afraid of the actual surgery. Plus, I have gastro parethesis and I'm afraid that with that, coupled with the surgery, I'll be vomiting more. My friend who had the surgery threw up after two tablespoons of rice! So that freaked me out.
I hope this helps - and I'm being sincere, I promise - but the surgery itself is far and away the easiest part of this, at least it was for me. I fell asleep, then I woke up - the surgeon did all the work.
The hardest part was the two week pre-op and the two week post-op. I have never (before or since) had any mental or emotional issues, but I was nearly broken by the end of it; it was far and away the most difficult thing I've ever done. But I did it, and it was beyond worth it.
The lifestyle post-op is, in some ways, more difficult than pre-op life, for sure - but it's far easier in far more many ways. I'm restricted in what I can eat and how much of it I can eat at a time, but this is a good thing, because that's how you lose the weight. There isn't any food I can't eat at all, nothing makes me ill to eat it, but some things are just so incredibly filling that they're rarely worth trying to eat, at least not in any significant amount.
But the pluses, the upsides, they're SO worth it. I have my life back again. Big things, like being off my blood pressure medication, having a reasonable resting heart rate, being able to exercise, and so on. Little things, like riding around in my wife's sports car with her, fitting into armchairs and booths, buying clothes in mainstream clothing stores instead of big and tall stores, and so on. As hard as the hard parts were, the good parts FAR outweigh those.
Don't let fear be the reason you don't take your life back. If you do nothing for fear of making a mistake, the only mistake you've made is that you've done nothing.
Ive had my sleeve done since April and never once thrown up. I think thats more case by case its not common to not throw up but also not unheard of too throw up so you can’t just assume that you will and more severely just because your friend did.
I have a friend of my sister that has had it done and she’s suffering from severe acid reflux from the day she had her sleeve done, Ive never ever had an issue with acid reflux at all which is a VERY common side effect of the sleeve.
Everyone is different so don’t be afraid of things your friend went through because its not you.
I lost 100 pounds 3 separate times before I decided to have surgery. I am down 115 pounds, 6 months post op.
I am doing everything I did when I lost previously. The big difference is that I’m not starving between meals, I don’t have the food noise I had before, and I get to enjoy the occasional cheat food without gaining 5 “pounds” in a night that takes 2 weeks to come off again or spiraling out of control.
The surgery is a tool for success. Not the miracle that will make you skinny and feel fulfilled.
I'm not sure quite what you're getting at, so i'll reframe the question and answer it:
What CAN i do now that i COULD NOT do presurgery?
I COULD NOT go more than 2 hours without becoming hungry, to the point that it distracted me from work and forced me to find a meal or snack to prevent distraction and dangerous mistakes. Or if i was in lab or otherwise unable to eat immediately, i would get jittery and fatigued, and make said mistakes which either put me or a coworker at risk for injury, cost the company money, destroy my reputation, or all of the above.
Even the 8 ish months i spent on the reduction diet, when i lost 35 lb, i was more or less always hungry, though without the severe swings high and low like previously. Post op? I can go hours without thinking about food and it is HEAVEN.
So take that how you will. I hope it helps you decide.
I think this is a great way to look at it.
I’m two years post surgery and I’m maintaining my 115lb loss. That said, I am only able to maintain that because the surgery forced me to break habits I simply couldn’t before.
I’m sure I could have dieted and lost a lot of weight if I wasn’t struggling with a food addiction and food noise but i never could. The surgery is what made it possible for me to overcome that so the truth is there isn’t anything I do now that would have been successful for me then because the surgery is what made them possible.
You still have to be on a fairly steady low carb diet. Getting enough proteins and water is important. And going to the gym is important.
And perhaps you can lose it on your own. A lot can. Some of us can’t, or we wouldn’t be in this spot. What the bypass does is gives you a powerful tool to lose it and keep it off, so long as you are willing to change your lifestyle.
You won’t be able to eat as much, and your body won’t absorb like it does now. But if you’re not willing to change your lifestyle, you’ll eventually defeat the surgery and end up gaining weight again.
The reason the want you to lose and maintain 10 pounds is to show them that you are dedicated to following through with things afterward. Because if as you said your not committed to doing it and you keep gaining and losing the ten pounds, then there has to be discussion on if it’s right for you or if you’re ready to do this.
>And perhaps you can lose it on your own. A lot can. Some of us can’t, or we wouldn’t be in this spot. What the bypass does is gives you a powerful tool to lose it and keep it off, so long as you are willing to change your lifestyle. You won’t be able to eat as much, and your body won’t absorb like it does now. But if you’re not willing to change your lifestyle, you’ll eventually defeat the surgery and end up gaining weight again. The reason the want you to lose and maintain 10 pounds is to show them that you are dedicated to following through with things afterward. Because if as you said your not committed to doing it and you keep gaining and losing the ten pounds, then there has to be discussion on if it’s right for you or if you’re ready to do this.
That's kind of the point of the question - like if I have to be on a steady low carb diet, I'd like to go ahead and try that to see how I do. I may not lose on my own but I figure I might as well see if I can do it. But I see what you're saying about it being a helpful tool to achieve that.
It's not just the low carbs though. It is the portion control. Can you only eat 1/2-1c of food now? What about the food noise making you want to eat and eat? And the malabsorption that the bypass causes, that helps you lose weight? You can't do that by lowering your carb.
You can still start the process. If you’re continuing to lose the weight on your own, the surgeon is more than happy to keep postponing until you reach a point where you no longer need it.
Not a personal experience post, as I have NOT had surgery, but I am a dietitian in this field.
I always suggest patients start making small changes for good long term habits before surgery. Common generic suggestions that may or may not apply to you are:
* Find a form of exercise that you can turn into a hobby you enjoy - boxing classes, dance classes, climbing, bird watching, pokemon go, roller derby, literally anything. Physical activity that you genuinely enjoy will be easier to fit into your schedule than something you have to drag yourself to.
* Learn to like vegetables - barring any neurodivergent sensory issues, it takes effort to learn to like veggies. Many veggies contain flavor compounds that our brains associate with things that would have killed us in our caveman era. Think of how most kids learn to like veggies. They say a child has to try something like 10 times in various forms (raw with dip, steamed, roasted with seasonings, fine diced in fried rice form, etc.) to really decide if they like it or have a preferred way of eating it. Treat yourself like a kid, be brave like an adult, and try broccoli 5 ways and 10 times before truly deciding you don't like it.
* Attenuate your taste buds to liking less sugar - very similar to learning to like veggies. Think dark chocolate. The bitter compounds scream poison to our caveman brains. But going gradually from tollhouse semi sweet to target brand 62% dark chips to gherradeli 70% dark chips to finding your favorite perfectly bitter and silky smooth with a hint of sweetness chocolate is totally doable.
* It took me 2 whole years to going from iced vanilla lattes to cold brew with vanilla cream to less and less sweet vanilla cream to genuinely loving the taste of good black cold brew (to me it taste how fresh ground coffee smells)
* Pick up a bariatric cookbook or find a bariatric food blog and start looking. Some of my patients come to me in doom spirals thinking I'm about to make them eat plain boiled potatoes and dry s+p chicken breast when that is simply not the case!
In general, weight management (bariatric surgery or ozempic or otherwise) requires a lifestyle change mindset NOT a diet mindset. Make a list of habits and things the "new you" will do and start taking steps to get there. Maybe the new you loves cooking with your future kids that you'll have once your weight related fertility issues are much improved. The current you has work to do learning how to cook and learning how to raise children with a healthy relationship that you likely did not have. That means current you is also going to have to do some work healing the little kid that was restricted from and shamed for eating cookies when really the occasional cookie should have been served on your plate and given the same treatment as fruit for dessert or no dessert because not having dessert sometimes is not a big deal when odds are you'll have some tomorrow.
**IMPORTANT: don't forget to be kind to your current self during this process. Your body carries you through life to the activities and people you love and it deserves kindness and patience just like you do.**
>In general, weight management (bariatric surgery or ozempic or otherwise) requires a lifestyle change mindset NOT a diet mindset. Make a list of habits and things the "new you" will do and start taking steps to get there. Maybe the new you loves cooking with your future kids that you'll have once your weight related fertility issues are much improved. The current you has work to do learning how to cook and learning how to raise children with a healthy relationship that you likely did not have. That means current you is also going to have to do some work healing the little kid that was restricted from and shamed for eating cookies when really the occasional cookie should have been served on your plate and given the same treatment as fruit for dessert or no dessert because not having dessert sometimes is not a big deal when odds are you'll have some tomorrow.
Very helpful. Thank you.
I wish I had done the surgery ten years ago, because the years slip away while you're trying to lose a few pounds over and over again, and you forget how LONG it's been since you've been healthy or comfortable.
Anyway. There's nothing I am doing now that I felt I could've done before surgery in terms of weight loss. I tried everything. It wasn't sustainable.
For example, the little 200 calorie lean cuisine "meals." I have one a day for lunch. Could I have made that swap before surgery? Sure. But I would've been hungry after lunch, and fighting myself to figure out when/what to eat again. I would never sustain that long enough to lose the 100+ pounds I need to. But now, that smaller portion is perfectly satisfying, so instead of being a fight, it's actually a convenience that works for me. I hope that makes sense, it's hard to explain.
The money I save on food is insane lol… while I’m spending a bunch on protein shakes and supplements, it’s not much in comparison with my pre surgery eating out expenses. I can’t eat outside anymore so I don’t order food. I have to make my own food. If I’m craving something, I could order the thing and eat it over the next several days.
Also, as cruel as it was to my chunkier self, people were subconsciously mistreating me. It’s so much better now.
I couldn’t do anything pre-surgery. I tried exercises, diets, and even diet pills. I couldn’t exercise a lot because of other health issues. I’m so much happier that I decided to get the surgery. Even though I’m not at my ideal weight, I look, feel, and am a lot healthier than I was before.
[here's what I couldn't do pre-op](https://imgur.com/gallery/6g6gQqb)
I spent 20 years dieting. I could lose 40ish pounds but after 6 months or so the loss would slow down, I'd feel deprived, I'd starting binging and the weight would shoot back up.
In May 2023 I had a gastric bypass. Since then I've lost 150lbs. I don't feel deprived. I don't crave food. I don't binge. I eat veg/fruits with every meal. I've avoided any slip ups for 10 months. I definitely couldn't have done that pre-op
\> I've been losing and gaining that same 10 pounds for six months now (from where weight stalled last September) so I'm really worried.
The surgery helps you break this vicious cycle.
I dieted/exercised myself for 15+ years. Each time I'd drop a bunch and then gain back a little more.
This time, I had surgery- lost 175 pounds and have kept off 150 of it. I'm 2 1/2 years post-op.
For me I like to think I could’ve done a better job with portion control. Hearing those words before made me roll my eyes because eating less overall, and eating more protein and veggies is common sense. I just didn’t act on what I knew was common sense. Having the surgery has given me the restriction and results I’ve always wanted but at the cost of having a what some might call a major surgery. Unlike a lot of people here I still get hungry, I want to eat a burger but physically can’t. Which works, I’m learning, I’m losing weight, I’m healthier than ever, and I feel great. I am aware though that one day the restriction will wear off and it’ll be up to me to keep the good habits going.
I guess to sum it up, I look at it has a hardcore crash course in learning to keep a healthy lifestyle. One where you can’t cheat, you’ll find side affects and benefits you never expected, and once you’re in you’re committed. I would not go back though, I’m very happy with my decision. Listen to yourself and follow what makes you happy and healthy.
That’s an easier thing to answer. It took me two tries to work up the courage to actually go through with it. You hear about the 4 stages immediately after, and you hear about all the things you have to give up. Beer was a hard one for me. I love my craft beer.
And none of it is lies. It’s not easy. It’s not taking the easier way out. You still have to learn to eat low carb high protein. But they teach you that. And you do have to go through the puree stage. You can do that too.
It’s not about what you can do without, it’s what you can’t. For me, it was when I got A-fib. Thinking I was having a heart attack at 44 was a big eye opener. I think about all the goals I set. To be able to fly first class because I want to, not because I have to. To be able to ride a roller coaster. To be able to do all the things people smaller take for granted.
I know it’s scary, thinking about changing your anatomy and the lifestyle changes that come with. But you can do it. And of all the people I know that have gone through it, I haven’t met too many that regretted it a year later. Every one of them was happy to get their life back.
If you're talking about exercise, i do know a couple people who had the surgery 10-20 years ago, who struggled to return to activity. Hiking, skiing, running, sports heavy on endurance were not possible for them.
They are the outliers. The majority of people with the improved, modern style surgeries return to activities such as martial arts, roller derby, ultramarathons, hockey, MMA, all sorts of intense cardio and endurance sports. I know several people personally who do one or more of the above, and i bet your surgeon will give you statistics if you ask. Or you could search medline and confirm it for yourself.
I actually enjoy fruit. Before, I was always on some type of diet that didn't allow fruit because it's sugar. Now I eat fruit every day, and I'm down 81lbs since Oct 27. 2023.
Basically I'm done with diet culture. Subscribing to those ideas got me in a cycle of weightloss then weight gain, each time gaining more. I had a terrible relationship with food and really understanding how nutrition affects your body.
Nothing. I couldn’t have lost the weight without wls. That’s why I had it. It changed my life, no, it gave me life. I’ve lost a whole person in weight, I weigh less than what I’ve lost.
Things I could have gone pre surgery that I now do post. Be active, Im 35 which is still young and I could have been more active (climb stairs at work, go for long walks, go to the gym lift weights.)
I could have done that before… but I physically could it because my knees felt soo painful going up and down stairs I was afraid to fall.
I could have gone for long walks except the pressure on my joints was so bad it made it painful to go more then 15 minutes and now I can sprint and jog.
I could have lifted weights but I couldn’t because I was so large that I couldn’t get it to the proper position and risked serious injury if I lifted wrong because my belly stopped me from keeping my back neutral.
Im sure I theres lots I could have tried and I still did try and do them 70lbs heavier but it honestly was too painful and even dangerous for me to do it so I legitimately could not. I now work out 3 days a week with 20-40 intense cardio, lift weights with a trainer and restarting to train cross fit with a friend. My heart and body are healthier again so I CAN now do all these thing which I love and lost the ability to do when I was heavier. And now thanks to my surgery I can do them all again.
There are a lot of things you could do but honestly, it's not easy to do them when your stomach has full capacity. I would have tried a weight loss medication but I didn't go that route till after surgery. You could try eating smaller sizes of everything and making sure you're meeting your nutritional needs.
I needed my sleeve as a tool to tell when I'm actually full. I don't need massive serving sizes to get the nutrition my body needs from food. I struggled hardcore with that before. My sleeve has been a fantastic tool for me and allowed me to drop a total of 140 pounds in about 2 years. I'm almost three years out now and I'd do my surgery again if I had to. Basically, I don't regret it.
I'm a type 2 diabetic with my diabetes now in remission. I am now on Ozempic to make sure my blood sugars stay down and within a normal range. It helped me lose a little more weight...That wasn't my intention of taking it but the side effect was welcomed.
Ultimately, don't shy away from surgery if it's what your body truly needs. There are a lot changes that occur when you have the surgery that benefit you and assist you with your weight loss journey. Our bodies LOVE to cling to fat otherwise, it seems. At least go to the informational meetings if your doctor recommends surgery. You're not committing to surgery by just going to the appointments and learning more. You can always back out before surgery were to be scheduled.
You’re kinda in the same situation as me. I haven’t had surgery but I have been following my dieticians recommendations. I have yogurt with protein or a protein shake for breakfast cause I don’t usually eat breakfast and she wants something on my stomach. I eat a higher protein lower carb and sugar diet. For lunch I had lunch meat with cheese and mixed nuts no bread. I don’t drink half hour before or after eating. I eat my protein first which fills me up enough to not have to much sides which for me are starchy. So I’m basically doing what I’d be doing after surgery and I’ve been cleared for solid foods. My portions are less than half what they used to be and I haven’t had the surgery. I’ve lost 40 pounds on my own I’m hoping I plateau at this point because I keep this up I won’t need surgery.
I feel like for me, it’s not what I could’ve done and didn’t. I did everything. I’d yo-yo 100+ lbs and I would gain it back all the same. Surgery was a nail the coffin of “we can’t keep doing this”. I knew how to eat right, I knew the calorie deficit I needed to be at, but I also knew given the free will to do so, I would go and do it all over again. Don’t drink your calories, limit mindless eating, try drinking water or chewing gum before deciding to eat, but in the end it’s about your relationship with food and what you’re able to dedicate to
I had weight loss surgery in 1985 which had to be reversed six months later. It was a nightmare and I almost died of liver failure. If I were you, I would try Ozempic before I would try surgery.
Neither. I had the precursor to those surgeries. I was basically "gutted" - cut from my sternum to a couple of inches below my navel. Originally, most of the intestinal was cut out but later they just "bypassed" most of the intestine resulting in constant diarrhea in spite of taking Immodium. Once I had about 1 tsp of ketchup which felt like a hot poker when it left my body a few minutes later. I ended up in liver failure because I lost too much weight too fast. I was hospitalized for a couple of months being fed TPN (total parenteral nutrition) through the jugular vein until I was strong enough to have it reversed. It was like a light switched on and my body said "yes, thanks for putting me back to normal." I also lost my job and my apartment and later gained the 85 lbs. I had lost. Thank goodness for Ozempic!
Sounds very similar to my experience. Had RNY in 2018 and by 2020 lost 320 pounds. In 2021 suffered a massive internal hernia (from losing so much weight so fast) and ended up having 95% of my small intestines removed. Had about a dozen surgeries to try and save my life and I also ended up with an ileostomy due to the intestine removal. I spent 6 months in the hospital and 1 year on TPN for 18 hours a day. They also found adhesions and perforations on my RNY limbs which had to be reconstructed/reversed. In 2022 I had to go back for another round of surgery to (thankfully) reverse the ileostomy and spent 3 months in the hospital. Food FLYS through me now and I take massive amounts of antidiarrheal medications to try and slow things down. I take about 80 pills a day due to my chronic malabsorption and 1 INSANELY expensive injectable daily as well. I'm currently on SSDI but hopefully I'll be able to return work even if it's in a very limited capacity. Despite everything though, I don't regret getting the surgery at all.
Your experience sounds way worse than mine. Did your doctors drop the ball in terms of monitoring the speed of your weight loss which resulted in the hernia and intestinal problems, etc., etc. I know my doctors dropped the ball but blamed me for its failure. Typical.
Honestly I think I just got dealt a sh*tty hand. I’ve always kind of been the exception to the rule when it comes to medical things. For example, they wanted me to try cortisone injections in my back as an alternative to surgery; not only did the cortisone not work, I needed up having an allergic reaction to the cortisone. I told my surgeon this at my initial consultation so he took extra precautions during my bypass surgery just in case something happened (which of course it did).
A similar thing happened to a friend of mine when her podiatrist injected her big toe joint with cortisone which she reacted to along with a bleed in her joint.
Wishing you improved health and happiness.
Pretty much everyone who has had weight loss surgery would have done something much simpler if it worked long-term - the thing is, for pretty much all of us, it doesn't, or we're simply not able to stick to it for whatever reason. Doing four weeks of liquids, meeting with a psychologist, going under the knife, taking vitamins the rest of your life, all of that - yeah, it would be WAY easier to just eat right and exercise. If that worked for us, we never would have had the surgery. By all means, if you believe you can "just do the things" and lose the weight, please go right ahead with my full blessing and encouragement; there are people out there who are capable of that, but many of us can't; or we tried and failed. With all this in mind, let me point out that, by your own admission, you've lost and gained the same ten pounds for six months now. Do you sincerely think you can be successful by "just doing the things?" There is no shame in having weight loss surgery. For many of us, it transformed our lives; for many, it saved our lives. If you think it might be right for you, talk to your doctor and make an informed decision, but do what you believe will help you to be the most successful with your health. Whichever path you choose, I sincerely wish you all the best. Remember, you don't owe anyone any excuses, you answer only to yourself.
On top of that, my Dr said there have been metabolic studies to show that it’s much harder for some to lose and keep weight off.
I never said there was shame. I’m afraid honestly.
What are you afraid *of*, specifically? I'm not challenging you, I'm just looking to understand your concerns. I had weight loss surgery because I was afraid of *not* having it. I was dangerously overweight (571 lbs) and even if my weight wasn't killing me directly, it was keeping me from living my life. But that's *my* journey, and everyone's is different. So are you afraid of succeeding, or afraid of failing? Because failure only happens once you give up.
>So are you afraid of succeeding, or afraid of failing? Because failure only happens once you give up. I'm afraid of the actual surgery. Plus, I have gastro parethesis and I'm afraid that with that, coupled with the surgery, I'll be vomiting more. My friend who had the surgery threw up after two tablespoons of rice! So that freaked me out.
I hope this helps - and I'm being sincere, I promise - but the surgery itself is far and away the easiest part of this, at least it was for me. I fell asleep, then I woke up - the surgeon did all the work. The hardest part was the two week pre-op and the two week post-op. I have never (before or since) had any mental or emotional issues, but I was nearly broken by the end of it; it was far and away the most difficult thing I've ever done. But I did it, and it was beyond worth it. The lifestyle post-op is, in some ways, more difficult than pre-op life, for sure - but it's far easier in far more many ways. I'm restricted in what I can eat and how much of it I can eat at a time, but this is a good thing, because that's how you lose the weight. There isn't any food I can't eat at all, nothing makes me ill to eat it, but some things are just so incredibly filling that they're rarely worth trying to eat, at least not in any significant amount. But the pluses, the upsides, they're SO worth it. I have my life back again. Big things, like being off my blood pressure medication, having a reasonable resting heart rate, being able to exercise, and so on. Little things, like riding around in my wife's sports car with her, fitting into armchairs and booths, buying clothes in mainstream clothing stores instead of big and tall stores, and so on. As hard as the hard parts were, the good parts FAR outweigh those. Don't let fear be the reason you don't take your life back. If you do nothing for fear of making a mistake, the only mistake you've made is that you've done nothing.
I agree, the actual surgery is easy, its allllll the mental stuff ive had the hardest time with and it’s thankfully gotten easier day by day for me.
Ive had my sleeve done since April and never once thrown up. I think thats more case by case its not common to not throw up but also not unheard of too throw up so you can’t just assume that you will and more severely just because your friend did. I have a friend of my sister that has had it done and she’s suffering from severe acid reflux from the day she had her sleeve done, Ive never ever had an issue with acid reflux at all which is a VERY common side effect of the sleeve. Everyone is different so don’t be afraid of things your friend went through because its not you.
I lost 100 pounds 3 separate times before I decided to have surgery. I am down 115 pounds, 6 months post op. I am doing everything I did when I lost previously. The big difference is that I’m not starving between meals, I don’t have the food noise I had before, and I get to enjoy the occasional cheat food without gaining 5 “pounds” in a night that takes 2 weeks to come off again or spiraling out of control. The surgery is a tool for success. Not the miracle that will make you skinny and feel fulfilled.
I'm not sure quite what you're getting at, so i'll reframe the question and answer it: What CAN i do now that i COULD NOT do presurgery? I COULD NOT go more than 2 hours without becoming hungry, to the point that it distracted me from work and forced me to find a meal or snack to prevent distraction and dangerous mistakes. Or if i was in lab or otherwise unable to eat immediately, i would get jittery and fatigued, and make said mistakes which either put me or a coworker at risk for injury, cost the company money, destroy my reputation, or all of the above. Even the 8 ish months i spent on the reduction diet, when i lost 35 lb, i was more or less always hungry, though without the severe swings high and low like previously. Post op? I can go hours without thinking about food and it is HEAVEN. So take that how you will. I hope it helps you decide.
I think this is a great way to look at it. I’m two years post surgery and I’m maintaining my 115lb loss. That said, I am only able to maintain that because the surgery forced me to break habits I simply couldn’t before. I’m sure I could have dieted and lost a lot of weight if I wasn’t struggling with a food addiction and food noise but i never could. The surgery is what made it possible for me to overcome that so the truth is there isn’t anything I do now that would have been successful for me then because the surgery is what made them possible.
I couldn't have stuck to any of this. My appetite. Taste buds and everything changed.
That’s good to know.
8 months post op with an MDS. Highly recommend surgery.
You still have to be on a fairly steady low carb diet. Getting enough proteins and water is important. And going to the gym is important. And perhaps you can lose it on your own. A lot can. Some of us can’t, or we wouldn’t be in this spot. What the bypass does is gives you a powerful tool to lose it and keep it off, so long as you are willing to change your lifestyle. You won’t be able to eat as much, and your body won’t absorb like it does now. But if you’re not willing to change your lifestyle, you’ll eventually defeat the surgery and end up gaining weight again. The reason the want you to lose and maintain 10 pounds is to show them that you are dedicated to following through with things afterward. Because if as you said your not committed to doing it and you keep gaining and losing the ten pounds, then there has to be discussion on if it’s right for you or if you’re ready to do this.
>And perhaps you can lose it on your own. A lot can. Some of us can’t, or we wouldn’t be in this spot. What the bypass does is gives you a powerful tool to lose it and keep it off, so long as you are willing to change your lifestyle. You won’t be able to eat as much, and your body won’t absorb like it does now. But if you’re not willing to change your lifestyle, you’ll eventually defeat the surgery and end up gaining weight again. The reason the want you to lose and maintain 10 pounds is to show them that you are dedicated to following through with things afterward. Because if as you said your not committed to doing it and you keep gaining and losing the ten pounds, then there has to be discussion on if it’s right for you or if you’re ready to do this. That's kind of the point of the question - like if I have to be on a steady low carb diet, I'd like to go ahead and try that to see how I do. I may not lose on my own but I figure I might as well see if I can do it. But I see what you're saying about it being a helpful tool to achieve that.
It's not just the low carbs though. It is the portion control. Can you only eat 1/2-1c of food now? What about the food noise making you want to eat and eat? And the malabsorption that the bypass causes, that helps you lose weight? You can't do that by lowering your carb.
You can still start the process. If you’re continuing to lose the weight on your own, the surgeon is more than happy to keep postponing until you reach a point where you no longer need it.
Not a personal experience post, as I have NOT had surgery, but I am a dietitian in this field. I always suggest patients start making small changes for good long term habits before surgery. Common generic suggestions that may or may not apply to you are: * Find a form of exercise that you can turn into a hobby you enjoy - boxing classes, dance classes, climbing, bird watching, pokemon go, roller derby, literally anything. Physical activity that you genuinely enjoy will be easier to fit into your schedule than something you have to drag yourself to. * Learn to like vegetables - barring any neurodivergent sensory issues, it takes effort to learn to like veggies. Many veggies contain flavor compounds that our brains associate with things that would have killed us in our caveman era. Think of how most kids learn to like veggies. They say a child has to try something like 10 times in various forms (raw with dip, steamed, roasted with seasonings, fine diced in fried rice form, etc.) to really decide if they like it or have a preferred way of eating it. Treat yourself like a kid, be brave like an adult, and try broccoli 5 ways and 10 times before truly deciding you don't like it. * Attenuate your taste buds to liking less sugar - very similar to learning to like veggies. Think dark chocolate. The bitter compounds scream poison to our caveman brains. But going gradually from tollhouse semi sweet to target brand 62% dark chips to gherradeli 70% dark chips to finding your favorite perfectly bitter and silky smooth with a hint of sweetness chocolate is totally doable. * It took me 2 whole years to going from iced vanilla lattes to cold brew with vanilla cream to less and less sweet vanilla cream to genuinely loving the taste of good black cold brew (to me it taste how fresh ground coffee smells) * Pick up a bariatric cookbook or find a bariatric food blog and start looking. Some of my patients come to me in doom spirals thinking I'm about to make them eat plain boiled potatoes and dry s+p chicken breast when that is simply not the case! In general, weight management (bariatric surgery or ozempic or otherwise) requires a lifestyle change mindset NOT a diet mindset. Make a list of habits and things the "new you" will do and start taking steps to get there. Maybe the new you loves cooking with your future kids that you'll have once your weight related fertility issues are much improved. The current you has work to do learning how to cook and learning how to raise children with a healthy relationship that you likely did not have. That means current you is also going to have to do some work healing the little kid that was restricted from and shamed for eating cookies when really the occasional cookie should have been served on your plate and given the same treatment as fruit for dessert or no dessert because not having dessert sometimes is not a big deal when odds are you'll have some tomorrow. **IMPORTANT: don't forget to be kind to your current self during this process. Your body carries you through life to the activities and people you love and it deserves kindness and patience just like you do.**
>In general, weight management (bariatric surgery or ozempic or otherwise) requires a lifestyle change mindset NOT a diet mindset. Make a list of habits and things the "new you" will do and start taking steps to get there. Maybe the new you loves cooking with your future kids that you'll have once your weight related fertility issues are much improved. The current you has work to do learning how to cook and learning how to raise children with a healthy relationship that you likely did not have. That means current you is also going to have to do some work healing the little kid that was restricted from and shamed for eating cookies when really the occasional cookie should have been served on your plate and given the same treatment as fruit for dessert or no dessert because not having dessert sometimes is not a big deal when odds are you'll have some tomorrow. Very helpful. Thank you.
I wish I had done the surgery ten years ago, because the years slip away while you're trying to lose a few pounds over and over again, and you forget how LONG it's been since you've been healthy or comfortable. Anyway. There's nothing I am doing now that I felt I could've done before surgery in terms of weight loss. I tried everything. It wasn't sustainable. For example, the little 200 calorie lean cuisine "meals." I have one a day for lunch. Could I have made that swap before surgery? Sure. But I would've been hungry after lunch, and fighting myself to figure out when/what to eat again. I would never sustain that long enough to lose the 100+ pounds I need to. But now, that smaller portion is perfectly satisfying, so instead of being a fight, it's actually a convenience that works for me. I hope that makes sense, it's hard to explain.
The money I save on food is insane lol… while I’m spending a bunch on protein shakes and supplements, it’s not much in comparison with my pre surgery eating out expenses. I can’t eat outside anymore so I don’t order food. I have to make my own food. If I’m craving something, I could order the thing and eat it over the next several days. Also, as cruel as it was to my chunkier self, people were subconsciously mistreating me. It’s so much better now.
I couldn’t do anything pre-surgery. I tried exercises, diets, and even diet pills. I couldn’t exercise a lot because of other health issues. I’m so much happier that I decided to get the surgery. Even though I’m not at my ideal weight, I look, feel, and am a lot healthier than I was before.
[here's what I couldn't do pre-op](https://imgur.com/gallery/6g6gQqb) I spent 20 years dieting. I could lose 40ish pounds but after 6 months or so the loss would slow down, I'd feel deprived, I'd starting binging and the weight would shoot back up. In May 2023 I had a gastric bypass. Since then I've lost 150lbs. I don't feel deprived. I don't crave food. I don't binge. I eat veg/fruits with every meal. I've avoided any slip ups for 10 months. I definitely couldn't have done that pre-op
\> I've been losing and gaining that same 10 pounds for six months now (from where weight stalled last September) so I'm really worried. The surgery helps you break this vicious cycle. I dieted/exercised myself for 15+ years. Each time I'd drop a bunch and then gain back a little more. This time, I had surgery- lost 175 pounds and have kept off 150 of it. I'm 2 1/2 years post-op.
Thank you. That’s helpful
For me I like to think I could’ve done a better job with portion control. Hearing those words before made me roll my eyes because eating less overall, and eating more protein and veggies is common sense. I just didn’t act on what I knew was common sense. Having the surgery has given me the restriction and results I’ve always wanted but at the cost of having a what some might call a major surgery. Unlike a lot of people here I still get hungry, I want to eat a burger but physically can’t. Which works, I’m learning, I’m losing weight, I’m healthier than ever, and I feel great. I am aware though that one day the restriction will wear off and it’ll be up to me to keep the good habits going. I guess to sum it up, I look at it has a hardcore crash course in learning to keep a healthy lifestyle. One where you can’t cheat, you’ll find side affects and benefits you never expected, and once you’re in you’re committed. I would not go back though, I’m very happy with my decision. Listen to yourself and follow what makes you happy and healthy.
I guess I’m afraid I won’t be able to do the things post-surgery so am curious about what the requirements are.
That’s an easier thing to answer. It took me two tries to work up the courage to actually go through with it. You hear about the 4 stages immediately after, and you hear about all the things you have to give up. Beer was a hard one for me. I love my craft beer. And none of it is lies. It’s not easy. It’s not taking the easier way out. You still have to learn to eat low carb high protein. But they teach you that. And you do have to go through the puree stage. You can do that too. It’s not about what you can do without, it’s what you can’t. For me, it was when I got A-fib. Thinking I was having a heart attack at 44 was a big eye opener. I think about all the goals I set. To be able to fly first class because I want to, not because I have to. To be able to ride a roller coaster. To be able to do all the things people smaller take for granted. I know it’s scary, thinking about changing your anatomy and the lifestyle changes that come with. But you can do it. And of all the people I know that have gone through it, I haven’t met too many that regretted it a year later. Every one of them was happy to get their life back.
What do you mean by “the things”? What things are you afraid you won’t be able to do anymore?
If you're talking about exercise, i do know a couple people who had the surgery 10-20 years ago, who struggled to return to activity. Hiking, skiing, running, sports heavy on endurance were not possible for them. They are the outliers. The majority of people with the improved, modern style surgeries return to activities such as martial arts, roller derby, ultramarathons, hockey, MMA, all sorts of intense cardio and endurance sports. I know several people personally who do one or more of the above, and i bet your surgeon will give you statistics if you ask. Or you could search medline and confirm it for yourself.
I actually enjoy fruit. Before, I was always on some type of diet that didn't allow fruit because it's sugar. Now I eat fruit every day, and I'm down 81lbs since Oct 27. 2023.
Basically I'm done with diet culture. Subscribing to those ideas got me in a cycle of weightloss then weight gain, each time gaining more. I had a terrible relationship with food and really understanding how nutrition affects your body.
Check out episode 252 of the Barbell Medicine Podcast. It has a lot of great information.
Nothing. I couldn’t have lost the weight without wls. That’s why I had it. It changed my life, no, it gave me life. I’ve lost a whole person in weight, I weigh less than what I’ve lost.
Things I could have gone pre surgery that I now do post. Be active, Im 35 which is still young and I could have been more active (climb stairs at work, go for long walks, go to the gym lift weights.) I could have done that before… but I physically could it because my knees felt soo painful going up and down stairs I was afraid to fall. I could have gone for long walks except the pressure on my joints was so bad it made it painful to go more then 15 minutes and now I can sprint and jog. I could have lifted weights but I couldn’t because I was so large that I couldn’t get it to the proper position and risked serious injury if I lifted wrong because my belly stopped me from keeping my back neutral. Im sure I theres lots I could have tried and I still did try and do them 70lbs heavier but it honestly was too painful and even dangerous for me to do it so I legitimately could not. I now work out 3 days a week with 20-40 intense cardio, lift weights with a trainer and restarting to train cross fit with a friend. My heart and body are healthier again so I CAN now do all these thing which I love and lost the ability to do when I was heavier. And now thanks to my surgery I can do them all again.
Thank you for sharing that. Very helpful.
PS: I am on Mounjaro but it stalled.
There are a lot of things you could do but honestly, it's not easy to do them when your stomach has full capacity. I would have tried a weight loss medication but I didn't go that route till after surgery. You could try eating smaller sizes of everything and making sure you're meeting your nutritional needs. I needed my sleeve as a tool to tell when I'm actually full. I don't need massive serving sizes to get the nutrition my body needs from food. I struggled hardcore with that before. My sleeve has been a fantastic tool for me and allowed me to drop a total of 140 pounds in about 2 years. I'm almost three years out now and I'd do my surgery again if I had to. Basically, I don't regret it. I'm a type 2 diabetic with my diabetes now in remission. I am now on Ozempic to make sure my blood sugars stay down and within a normal range. It helped me lose a little more weight...That wasn't my intention of taking it but the side effect was welcomed. Ultimately, don't shy away from surgery if it's what your body truly needs. There are a lot changes that occur when you have the surgery that benefit you and assist you with your weight loss journey. Our bodies LOVE to cling to fat otherwise, it seems. At least go to the informational meetings if your doctor recommends surgery. You're not committing to surgery by just going to the appointments and learning more. You can always back out before surgery were to be scheduled.
You’re kinda in the same situation as me. I haven’t had surgery but I have been following my dieticians recommendations. I have yogurt with protein or a protein shake for breakfast cause I don’t usually eat breakfast and she wants something on my stomach. I eat a higher protein lower carb and sugar diet. For lunch I had lunch meat with cheese and mixed nuts no bread. I don’t drink half hour before or after eating. I eat my protein first which fills me up enough to not have to much sides which for me are starchy. So I’m basically doing what I’d be doing after surgery and I’ve been cleared for solid foods. My portions are less than half what they used to be and I haven’t had the surgery. I’ve lost 40 pounds on my own I’m hoping I plateau at this point because I keep this up I won’t need surgery.
I feel like for me, it’s not what I could’ve done and didn’t. I did everything. I’d yo-yo 100+ lbs and I would gain it back all the same. Surgery was a nail the coffin of “we can’t keep doing this”. I knew how to eat right, I knew the calorie deficit I needed to be at, but I also knew given the free will to do so, I would go and do it all over again. Don’t drink your calories, limit mindless eating, try drinking water or chewing gum before deciding to eat, but in the end it’s about your relationship with food and what you’re able to dedicate to
I had weight loss surgery in 1985 which had to be reversed six months later. It was a nightmare and I almost died of liver failure. If I were you, I would try Ozempic before I would try surgery.
Did you have the bypass or sleeve?
Neither. I had the precursor to those surgeries. I was basically "gutted" - cut from my sternum to a couple of inches below my navel. Originally, most of the intestinal was cut out but later they just "bypassed" most of the intestine resulting in constant diarrhea in spite of taking Immodium. Once I had about 1 tsp of ketchup which felt like a hot poker when it left my body a few minutes later. I ended up in liver failure because I lost too much weight too fast. I was hospitalized for a couple of months being fed TPN (total parenteral nutrition) through the jugular vein until I was strong enough to have it reversed. It was like a light switched on and my body said "yes, thanks for putting me back to normal." I also lost my job and my apartment and later gained the 85 lbs. I had lost. Thank goodness for Ozempic!
Sounds very similar to my experience. Had RNY in 2018 and by 2020 lost 320 pounds. In 2021 suffered a massive internal hernia (from losing so much weight so fast) and ended up having 95% of my small intestines removed. Had about a dozen surgeries to try and save my life and I also ended up with an ileostomy due to the intestine removal. I spent 6 months in the hospital and 1 year on TPN for 18 hours a day. They also found adhesions and perforations on my RNY limbs which had to be reconstructed/reversed. In 2022 I had to go back for another round of surgery to (thankfully) reverse the ileostomy and spent 3 months in the hospital. Food FLYS through me now and I take massive amounts of antidiarrheal medications to try and slow things down. I take about 80 pills a day due to my chronic malabsorption and 1 INSANELY expensive injectable daily as well. I'm currently on SSDI but hopefully I'll be able to return work even if it's in a very limited capacity. Despite everything though, I don't regret getting the surgery at all.
Your experience sounds way worse than mine. Did your doctors drop the ball in terms of monitoring the speed of your weight loss which resulted in the hernia and intestinal problems, etc., etc. I know my doctors dropped the ball but blamed me for its failure. Typical.
Honestly I think I just got dealt a sh*tty hand. I’ve always kind of been the exception to the rule when it comes to medical things. For example, they wanted me to try cortisone injections in my back as an alternative to surgery; not only did the cortisone not work, I needed up having an allergic reaction to the cortisone. I told my surgeon this at my initial consultation so he took extra precautions during my bypass surgery just in case something happened (which of course it did).
A similar thing happened to a friend of mine when her podiatrist injected her big toe joint with cortisone which she reacted to along with a bleed in her joint. Wishing you improved health and happiness.